My Sister the Soldier
by AmazingLadar
Summary: Beatrice finally works up the courage to ask The Doctor about a very particular date, only to discover her worst nightmare is coming true. Second in the Ashburn series, Sequel of Guardian Angel.
1. May 14th, 1861

**Hello lovelys! This is the second of the Ashburn Series, a sequel of Guardian Angel. If you haven't read it yet, I suggest you do.**

**This is another rewrite, and just like with Guardian Angel, the original version can be found on my profile and will be taken down 24 hours after I finish writing this one. This one won't be too different from the original as I'm not entirely displeased with the original. Some details will be changed though.**

**Short chapter to start with, they'll get longer.**

**Please review! You know you want to…**

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Beatrice and the Doctor ran like hell. They put every ounce of energy they still possessed into their legs and forced it to move as quickly as possible, on foot ahead of the other. They ran and they ran, until finally the TARDIS was in view. When the Doctor was close enough, he started snapping his fingers frantically, wishing with all his might for the doors to swing open. At the last possible second, they did just that. The Doctor quickly let Beatrice take him over and speed in through the doors. He quickly followed, closing the TARDIS doors behind him and locking it quickly. He then ran to his console and started to push in new coordinates to get away from there.

It wasn't until they both heard the comforting sound of the TARDIS engine that they could both finally relax. Beatrice looked up to make eye contact with the Doctor, and when they did, they both burst out into laughter. Beatrice could hardly hold herself up and resorted to sitting down on the floor, clutching her stomach as she did. The Doctor, on the other hand, maintained his ground, though he did have an unnecessarily strong grip on the console.

"I can't believe you did that!" Beatrice said when her laughing had calmed.

"It wasn't on purpose!" The Doctor defended.

"You stepped on that poor dog's tail!"

"I didn't technically step on it. And it wasn't technically a dog."

"It grew to six feet tall and got a second head before chasing us for ten minutes!" Beatrice started laughing again, still finding this world where aliens like _that_ actually existed.

"Some might say he overreacted." Beatrice laughed harder.

"That poor nose-less dog…"

"Don't call them that, Beatrice" The Doctor said with a small smile. "They take offense to that. They're Barcelonians."

"Well, I must admit" Beatrice said, finally settling down. "Up until then. Barcelona was a truly wonderful planet." The Doctor smiled at her.

"I thought you might like it. Where to next? All of time and space to choose from, Beatrice Ashburn. Where should we go next?" Beatrice smile and stared at the crazy man before her. She thought about it, she really though. But only one date came to mind. One date that both terrified her and made her more and more curious.

"_In the meantime, when you get the chance, ask him about the date May 14th 1861."_

She had tried not to let that date overrule her every waking thought, but somehow it did. She didn't know the woman who had given her the warning. Quite frankly, she didn't _want_ to know her. While Beatrice's mother had always told her never to judge a book by its cover, that woman was not someone Beatrice could see herself trusting in the immediate future.

"_I'm _dying_. And I'm using my last words as a warning."_

And yet… that always sent shivers down her spine. She didn't want to trust that woman, but it was hard not to fully embrace the warning. It seemed like a real warning, not a threat or any sign of trickery. It seemed like a good and honest warning. And that was what terrified her the most.

"_There were others. Just like you, they followed him blindly into his little blue box and flew away with him. They all end up hurt, one way or another. Some get lost, some leave by choice, and some die. And you're next."_

That had replayed in her mind over and over again. It had taken a lot for Beatrice to finally trust the Doctor, and every minute she did she was terrified that he would only end up hurting her. Hurting her like all the others had. Hurting her like he had done to so many before her. And if she was so terrified of being hurt, why was she trusting him? Ever since she had the warning from that woman, that one question kept running around in her head. Why was she trusting him?

"_The Doctor. He's not to be trusted. Think about it. What has he actually told you? About anything?"_

And what _had_ he told her? He didn't tell her how he knew about her, he just showed her her family. He didn't tell her who he was, or what he was (that part had just slipped out by accident). He didn't tell her how he found her, or how he knew she was in danger. He hadn't told her anything, not even his name. So why was she trusting him?

But then again… why was she trusting that woman? That woman knew her name, and obviously knew something about the Doctor, and yet Beatrice didn't know how. And she left in such a hurry, as if she didn't want to be spotted by the Doctor. So why was Beatrice taking her word over his? She need answers. To all her questions. It would take time, it might even take a lot of persuasion and possibly bribing. She'd have to start simple.

"I have a specific date in mind, actually" Beatrice spoke up.

"Do you? Future, past –"

"Past. Definitely past."

"Oh, so you're a history buff then?"

"Actually, just the contrary. History was my worst subject. I nearly failed my GCSE." The Doctor raised an eyebrow.

"Alright. What date then?"

"May 14th, 1861." And the look on his face was all the proof she needed. Every doubt she had in her mind that the woman was lying was gone. Every worry that the date would hold something terrible for her was confirmed. The Doctor looked at her in horror, as if she just spoke the worst words in the world. It was almost as if this one date was all of his worst nightmares put together. And Beatrice was terrified, but if it had something to do with her, as she suspected it might to, she needed to know.

"Why that date?" The Doctor asked.

"A little birdie told me it might be an interesting date for me." The Doctor held Beatrice's stare for a moment, not wanting to be the first to break eye contact. But eventually, it all became too much for him. He turned his gaze away and started to walk around the console.

"No, the past is boring. The future, now that's something you all find interesting. What the world will be like, what life for mankind will eventually turn into. _That's_ what you humans always want to know. So, how about the year –"

"1861" Beatrice cut in, with more force this time. The Doctor stopped his pacing, finally understanding he couldn't walk away from this one. "Whatever you're hiding from me, Doctor… whatever you think you're protecting me from in that date… I deserve to know." The Doctor opened his mouth to retort, but Beatrice cut him off. "_Especially_ if it has something to do with me."

"Fine" The Doctor said at last, and Beatrice smiled as the victor. "I'll take you there. But in return, you have to tell me how you knew about that date." Her smile faded.

"Why?"

"Whatever you're hiding from me, Beatrice… whatever you think you're protecting me from… I deserve to know." And hearing her exact words thrown right back at her was like a slap in the face. Beatrice opened her mouth to protest, but the Doctor cut her off. "_Especially_ if it has something to do with me." Beatrice just stared at him, still lost as to what to say. "I need to be able to trust you, Beatrice" The Doctor added.

"Trust me?" Beatrice asked. "You know everything _about_ me."

"No, I don't know _every_thing about you. Not even you know everything about you. And besides, _knowing_ someone doesn't mean you trust them. You could know everything there is to know about someone and still find them the most untrustworthy person in the world. At the same time, you could trust someone you know absolutely nothing about. And Beatrice… it's very important that I'm able to trust you. Because if you continue travelling with me, then one day, my life may very well lie in your hands."

"No pressure then" Beatrice joke, and managed to get a smile out of the Doctor. "Okay" she said at last. "Show me what's so important about that date, and I'll tell you how I know about it. I promise."

"Okay, May 14th, 1861" The Doctor said almost sadly as he moved around the TARDIS console. Beatrice stared at him, the contrast between now and when he was talking about Barcelona only too painfully clear. He looked up at Beatrice with sad eyes, despite the smile on his face. "Geronimo."


	2. The Soldier

**Hello lovelys! I apologize for the super late update. Medical reasons kept me from writing (and therefore updating). **

**From now on, I'm really going to try to update weekly on Wednesdays. I'm really going to try.**

**So yes, that is all, please review! You know you want to.**

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The sound of the TARDIS engine was the only sound that could be heard in the empty field. The wheezing sound of it landing sounded out through the fields before the little blue box appeared. Inside, the Doctor straightened up and stared at Beatrice sadly.

"Well, here we are," he said sadly. "Just as you wanted, May 14th, 1861." And suddenly, Beatrice was terrified of what may lie outside those doors. She didn't want to know anymore. For a moment, she just wanted to forget about the whole ordeal and carry on travelling with the mad man that stood before her. But she _needed_ to know.

"You could just _tell_ me what happens," Beatrice said softly. The Doctor truly debated that option for a second. It would be easier than if she were to just find out. But no, she needed to find out on her own.

"No. I can't. But I can show you." The Doctor snapped his fingers and the doors of the TARDIS swun open.

Beatrice was terrified to find out what exactly this date was about. She was terrified to walk out those doors and learn what she knew she wouldn't want to learn. She was terrified to finally see the Doctor in a completely different light than the one she was currently holding him in. But, this was important. This one day could tell Beatrice everything she ever wondered about the Doctor. She could finally have the answers to all her questions. While the thought of what some of those asnwers could be terrified her, she needed them. So swallowing her fear and worries, she walked out the TARDIS doors, the Doctor following closely behind her.

When the two of them walked out, all they could see was green. The green of the fields spreading out as far as the eye could see and trees forming a small woods spreading out around the perimeter. Beatrice waited for the Doctor to start leading the way, and together they walked into the woods. They walked together in silence for what seemed like hours, before the Doctor stopped quickly.

"This is as far as I go," he said. "I can't be seen, unfortunately. Keep walking straight down the path we were following. You'll find yourself at a campsite. Tell them that Sergeant Smith sent you with a message for Michael Ashburn."

Beatrice stared at the Doctor for a second longer in confusion, before finally askin," Sergeant Smith? Ashburn? Doctor, what's going on?"

There was no smile on the Doctor's face, just eyes filled with an apology and guilt. "Go find out, Beatrice."

She hesitantly turned her back to the Doctor, and finally started to make her way down the path. She knew she wouldn't want to know the answers to her questions. She knew she wouldn't like them. But if it involved anyone in her family, she also knew that she needed to know, whether she liked what was happening or not.

* * *

It had taken around fifteen minutes before Beatrice finally found herself at the campsite that the Doctor was talking about. As she walked through, she could feel every single pair of eyes fall on her and as she looked around, she finally realised why. It was a war campsite. There were guns and men in uniform sitting around different tents. As Beatrice went deeper inside the campsite, she also noted that she was, in fact, the only girl in the entire campsite. Probably the only girl for miles around. She quickly looked down at the clothes she was wearing, only just realising the time period she was in. And, yep, there it was. That just made everything worse. Beatrice was wearing jeans shorts, sandals and a short sleeved shirt. Not exactly what the typical woman of the nineteenth century would wear.

It didn't take long before one of the men from the campsite finally stood up and approached her.

"Well, hi there, missy," the man said, his voice thick in an American accent.. "You shouldn't be here. Don't you know there's a war going on?"

"Oh, yeah," Beatrice said. "I gathered, what with all the guns. Judging by your thick accent, I'd say we're in America. Where, I just don't know. I'm not that familiar with the accents here. So let's see, America, nineteenth century, war… I knew I should have paid more attention in class…"

"Miss?" the man asked, worry slowly spreading in his face.

"Civil War!" Beatrice blurted out at last. The man blinked twice, confused and worried about this strange girl.

"What are you doing here?" the man asked, at last. "This is no place for a lady. I suggest you go whichever way you came from and stay there."

"I have a message from Sergeant Smith," Beatrice blurted out. The man raised an eyebrow.

"But he left just five minutes ago. How can he already have news?" Beatrice hesitated then continued.

"I need to speak with Michael." The man turned and whistled to a man.

"Michael! Message from Sergeant Smith!" just then, a big, bulky man approached her.

"What?" he asked very harshly.

"Michael _Ashburn_?" she asked. The giant laughed out loud.

"Hey, TINY!" he yelled. "a message from John Smith!" the giant made his way back to the circle of men. Beatrice kept her eyes open and saw a small boy approach her.

"Yeah?" Michael asked. Beatrice stared at him. There was something so familiar about him. It was there, in the back of her head. She was sure she knew this man from somewhere.. "Um... hello?" Beatrice looked into his eyes, as if she were hoping he'd give her the answer. Any answer would do. She was positive that she met this man before. "A message from Smith?" Beatrice still didn't say a word, only focused on trying to find out where the _hell_ she knew this man from. "Alright. Well, you're messed up. I'm going to leave now." Michael turned to leave.

"You're not from here... are you?" Beatrice finally asked. Michael turned to face her again, an eyebrow raised in confusion. Where did _that_ come from?

"No. I'm from England."

"That's a long way from home."

"Great observational skills." Beatrice gasped as she finally pinpointed where she knew him from.

"Maya" she said barely above a whisper. Michael suddenly turned very serious. "Maya Ashburn" Beatrice said a little louder.

"Shut up" Michael hissed.

"You're an awful way away from home. What are you doing here? This isn't even your fight. You shouldn't be here. You _really_ shouldn't be here! You could _die_! Maya, why would you even _risk_ this? What would mum and dad say?"

"SHUT UP!" Michael yelled before he shoved Beatrice to the ground. As she fell, she hit her head on one of the inconveniently place stones around. All the men around them who had witnessed Michael's outburst stood up and went to Beatrice's assistance. She looked up to see all the men arguing with eachother and yelling Michael.

No, that wasn't right. It wasn't Michael. It was Maya. It was Beatrice's little sister, her wonderful, sweet, innocent little sister. Her sister who she was separated from at such a young age. Her sister who she last saw at age ten. Her sister the soldier. Her sister who would surely die in battle.

It was all too much for Beatrice. The pain in her head from where the stone had hit put together with the absolute shock of finding her sister, in a war campsite of all places, overpowered each and every strand of willpower Beatrice had. She couldn't handle any of this, and so she allowed herself to slip into unconsciousness.

Her sister the soldier. How in the hell was she supposed to protect her now?


	3. Saving Maya

**Hello lovelys! **

**Sorry for the delay, things came up. I'm not going to make any promises any more with how frequently I update. Just know that this fic is now finished and the next fic in the series has started, so now it **_**shouldn't**_** take too long between updates.**

**Please review! It is a bit upsetting to see I don't even have a single review yet…**

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Beatrice wasn't unconscious for long, though she did stay in her own tent and act like she was. She just didn't have the energy to deal with everything yet. After all, she had just found out that her sister, her own little sister, is now a soldier. She is going to fight in a war that isn't even her own, and she will die. Beatrice knew it, Maya would die in this war. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but she will die in this war.

She knew she wouldn't be able to handle the truth. She knew that if she were to find out what happened to her family she wouldn't be happy. She knew all this, but still she insisted on finding out. And she knew why she had to know. The only thing she didn't quite understand yet was what the Doctor had to do with all of this. Why was he so hesitant in bringing her here? Why was this something he couldn't just tell her? Beatrice knew she wouldn't be happy with the answers, but just like when it came to her family, it was something she had to know.

It didn't take much longer for the tent entrance to flap open and Maya entered. She immediately stopped where she stood as she noticed Beatrice still lying on the floor. Beatrice sat up to look at her sister, more than happy to just focus on the one problem at hand.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," Maya said quickly.

"I was already awake," Beatrice assured her. An awkward silence filled the tent for a moment. Maya shifted around for a bit, unsure how to proceed with the conversation. After a bit of debating, she finally offered her hand to Beatrice.

"I'm Michael," She introduced herself. "Michael Ashb –"

"I know very well who you are," Beatrice quickly cut her off. "And it's _not_ Michael Ashburn, so don't play me like an idiot." Maya just slowly and awkwardly put her hand down.

"Look," Maya said, starting to give up on this chat. "Sergeant Smith told me to apologize, so here I am."

"That's not a very good apology."

"Well, I don't care. I did it. That's what counts. Smith wanted me to and I did. So there." She turned to leave.

"Who _is_ John Smith?" Maya stopped and turned.

"I thought you said you came on an errand from him."

Now she'd done it. "Yeah, I did," Beatrice said quickly, trying to do some damage control. "I just… um…"

"You have no idea who he is, do you?" Maya asked. Beatrice could only shake her head. Now Maya really started to panic. "Who _are_ you?" she demanded. "Where did you even come from? How do you know so much about me? And why the hell are you dressed like that?"

Beatrice was lost for words. "I'm sorry," she finally said. "Please just trust me, I'm a friend. I'm trying to help." and Beatrice finally understands how the Doctor feels when it comes to her. To know so much about someone because of your history together, but not being able to say anything. To try so hard to earn their trust, because after all you _know_ them, only to be brutally shut out. It was hard.

"Just leave me alone," Maya insisted. "You'll only make things worse."

"How could I possibly make things worse?" Beatrice asked. "You don't belong here, Maya. You're going to get yourself killed."

"No, _you're_ going to get me killed! What do you think they'll do when they find out – " Maya stopped talking abruptly, looked around, and quickly lowered her voice. "When they find out I'm a girl?" she whispered.

"I… never thought about that," Beatrice admitted.

"Of course you didn't," Maya said. "Just… go away." And with that, Maya turned to make her leave.

"Maya, wait," Beatrice called after her. She stood up and followed Maya outside of the tent. Maya pushed through a crowd of people and kept on walking further into the campsite. Beatrice followed, trying to call out to her sister again, trying to get her to just listen to her. But no luck. Maya turned the corner, and Beatrice had to almost run to keep up and not lose her. And when Beatrice rounded the corner herself, she wished she hadn't. What she saw sent a knife right into her back. There he was. That was how it was all tied together. This was why the woman warned Beatrice about this day, about that impossible man.

The Doctor, the one and only Doctor, was standing there talking to her sister. He had a wardrobe change, a haircut and, yes, he looked slightly different, but different in a way that only time could change a person. The Doctor knew her sister.

It didn't take long before the two of them noticed Beatrice just standing there. The Doctor smiled at Beatrice, but other than that, nothing. There was no hint of recognition. There was no apologetic smile. He just walked up to her and offered his head.

"Hello," he said happily. "I'm John Smith. I see you've met Michael –"

"Maya," Beatrice instinctually corrected. "And your name isn't John Smith." There was still no recognition in his eyes. Maybe a bit of worry or confusion, but no recognition. Beatrice then realised that this wasn't her Doctor, not yet. He still hadn't met her. Which just made everything worst. "I have to go," Beatrice muttered before turning away from him. She made her way back to the path she had originally come from. She stopped for just a second, trying to make sense of everything, but it was pointless. She needed to hear it from the Doctor himself. So with that thought in mind, she took off in a sprint to her Doctor.

* * *

It seemed like hours before Beatrice finally found herself in the same place she had said goodbye to the Doctor in the first place. She called out several times in panic before the blue box she had grown to love so much materialized in front of her. The Doctor casually walked out and stared at Beatrice, an apology ready in his eyes.

"No need to shout, Beatrice," The Doctor tried joking. "I was only moving our transportation a little closer. Plus, I wanted something entertaining while I waited for –"

"You were there," Beatrice cut him off. "In the campsite, with my _sister_! You were there!"

"Yes, I was," the Doctor said. "Was. Past tense. I was there in the past."

"Yes, I gathered," Beatrice said icily.

"That's why I can't go with you to the campsite. I can't cross my own timeline. Not unless I want a paradox, which I definitely don't. I've had far too many in one lifetime, I certainly don't need another."

Beatrice stared at the Doctor, not even pretending to understand what he was talking about this time. "What were you _doing_ there?" she decided to ask.

"I was helping her."

"Helping her _what_? If she stays here she's going to get herself killed!" The Doctor didn't say anything in response. He just stared at her with apologetic eyes and pursed his lips together. "No," Beatrice muttered as she realised what his look meant. "When?" she asked. "When does she die?"

"Tonight," he answered softly. Beatrice let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and her hand flew out to a nearby tree to support herself. "There will be a battle in the clearing and Maya will be one of the first to be shot down."

"And you were there," Beatrice said. "You could have helped."

"I tried to help her. I really did but… there was nothing I can do. She died almost immediately, I was too late."

"It's not too late," Beatrice whispered as she realised just who she was talking to. "You've got a time machine! Go to the campsite and tell Maya to go with you. She'll listen to you! You can take her to the TARDIS and take her back to our parents!"

The Doctor just looked at her in the exact same way as he had before. That was the exact moment when Beatrice's heart broke.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me," Beatrice muttered. She could feel the tears that were about to fall, but she tried with all her might to keep them back. "This has to be some sick, sick joke!"

"It's the 19th century, Beatrice," The Doctor said quietly. "People didn't live quite as long as they do now. I'm sorry."

"Then save Maya," Beatrice insisted. "My whole family is gone. Just save one of them, please. Save Maya."

"I can't, Beatrice."

"Why not?" she hissed.

"Don't you understand? Don't you see the paradox this would cause? Someone who is supposed to be dead will be alive. That should never happen. I'm sorry, Beatrice, I really am, but tonight is the night that Maya dies."

Beatrice recoiled as if she had been slapped. And honestly, she wished she was. She would have been slapped a hundred times over if it meant that she could change this day. In hindsight, she knew how she could have, but it was much too late now. But if she had known then… if she had only known.

"If I knew…" Beatrice said to herself softly.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow at her, "if you knew what?"

"If I knew that that was going to be the last time I saw my parents, I would have said something to them. If I knew that that was the last time I spoke to my sister before she decided to go on this suicide mission, I would have told her who I was," Beatrice's head snapped up and she stared the Doctor down, the tears now overflowing and freely falling down her cheeks, "But most of all, Doctor, if I knew that travelling with you meant watching my sister die, meant losing my whole family, I would have NEVER agreed to it!"

The Doctor didn't say anything. What could he say? What could he possibly say that would make this situation any better? What could he possibly say that would ease Beatrice's pain and suffering?

"You know," Beatrice continued, "It's one thing to think that your family abandoned you as a child. That, I could deal with. It's a completely different thing to find out that your family never stopped loving you, but that they died before they got to know you. It's one thing to think that your sister disappeared. It's a completely different thing to know she dies in a war she wasn't even born in to! And dammit Doctor, it's one thing to be told she dies and a completely different and cruel thing to _show_ someone how their family dies. To let them watch in the side-lines and not _allow_ them to save their family. So screw you, Doctor. If you won't save Maya, then I will!" Without waiting for the Doctor to try and stop her, she started marching down the old path to the campsite.

"Beatrice," The Doctor called after her, "You can't!"

"Watch me!" she yelled back.

"It will cause a paradox!"

"Come and stop me then!"

Knowing very well that the doctor wouldn't move an inch towards her, Beatrice continued down the path. He didn't want to cause a paradox. Crossing his own timeline, just as he had said only minutes ago, would definitely cause a paradox.

"I'm coming, Maya," Beatrice whispered to herself, before breaking into a run.


	4. Pride

**Hello lovelys! It's been ages, and I apologise, but with nothing going on in terms of feedback, follows, anything, I kind of forgot about this. I will finish this one, because it's already done, but the next one in the series I might just leave it be, seeing as no one is really interested.**

**So yes, please review.**

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Beatrice finally found herself in the campsite that she had grown to hate with every fibre of her existence. Her sister, her _baby_ sister, was there and she was going to die. The people at the camp did nothing to stop it from happening. Granted, they probably didn't even know themselves that it was going to happen, but still, it was her sister. Beatrice knew that she wouldn't be able to save everybody, she had accepted that a long time ago, but just one. If she could just save her sister, then she'd be happy. Then she would be able to sleep at night.

She snuck her way around the campsite, looking for Maya's tent. She had asked two people for "John Smith's" tent, and they had given the vaguest directions. Having finally found it, Beatrice quickly snuck inside. She figured it wouldn't take too long before her sister appeared. She didn't quite expect Maya to already be in there.

"What the hell are you doing?" Maya demanded.

Beatrice spun around quickly, the voice of her sister startling her. For a second, she debated coming up with a lie, something to get Maya out of there, but she knew that would never work. Maya wouldn't believe any of her lies. So Beatrice opted for the truth.

"Look at me," Beatrice demanded. Maya opened her mouth to say something, her expression clearly showing how confused she was. Beatrice quickly cut her off, "Don't say anything, just look at me, Maya. Look me in the eye, really _look_ at me. For the love of God, you _know_ me, Maya! Please just look at me!"

"Okay…" Maya said hesitantly, slowly backing away from Beatrice. "You're _clearly_ crazy, I'm going to – "

Beatrice ran up to Maya and held her sister's shoulders. Their faces were now only inches apart, and Maya could do nothing but stare at the older girl.

"Think back. Please. Remember me."

It took a moment. it took a very long moment, with Maya just staring intently at Beatrice, trying to figure out if the look in her eyes was familiar or crazy. At long last, she remembered.

"Oh my God," Maya whispered. Beatrice finally relaxed, a smile spreading across her face. Maya continued, "It's you! it's… it's actually you!"

"Yes."

"I never thought I'd see you again!" Maya was now ecstatic, but then a thought occurred to her, "Where's Beatrice?"

Beatrice could feel her heart break into a million pieces. "What?"

"You're the girl from the clearing. You saved me. When I was little, I was lost and confused. You found me, and you told me to wait. My parents came soon after you left, but Beatrice never came. Where is she?"

"She's… fine," Beatrice said softly.

Maya's face fell, and her eyes narrowed at Beatrice, "Somehow, I don't believe that."

"Look, this isn't about Beatrice, okay? Your sister is fine, it's _you_ I'm worried about! You're going to die in this war!"

"So are thousands upon thousands of soldiers."

"Yes, but you could avoid this. Come with me, I can take you somewhere safe."

Beatrice grabbed her sister's arm and started to pull her away. Maya quickly freed her arm and stayed in the tent.

"No," she said.

Beatrice turned around to face her little sister. From just one look into her eyes, Beatrice knew her little sister wasn't going anywhere. Nothing she said or did would change that.

"Why?" Beatrice asked.

"I have to do this," Maya insisted.

"You _don't_. Why on Earth would you think you did?"

"I have to do it for Beatrice."

Her world came crashing down. Her sister, her _baby_ sister, was going to die? For _her_?

"What?" she asked. "How… how could this possibly be for her?"

"Because she's all alone. Wherever she is, she's alone. If I can send some kinds of message to her, I will. So far, this is my message."

"_Dying_ is your message to her?"

"No, you silly girl. Sergeant Smith is!"

The Doctor. What else is he not telling her? "How is Sergeant Smith your message?" Beatrice asked.

"It's complicated. He's like you, he never ages. I met him for the first time when I was eleven years old, and for the second time ten months ago. He hadn't aged a day. Just like you. you haven't aged at all."

"You met him when you were eleven? What did he say to you?"

"He just talked to us about Beatrice. Nothing you don't already know," Maya said, a small glare forming.

Beatrice decided to ignore it for now, she could talk to the Doctor later about that. For now, she had to save her sister.

"I'm sure there are other ways Sergeant Smith could get your message across. You don't have to go through this war."

Maya sighed very heavily, before she finally snapped, "I know, okay! Ever think maybe I _want_ to be in the war?

"Why would you want this, though? Just explain it to me!"

"To make Beatrice proud of me!" Beatrice blinked twice in shock. No, please, any reason but that. Any reason to join the war except because of her. "I want her to be proud of me," Maya said again, her voice a lot more calm now. "I want her to be able to look me up in a history book, or search my name and find me. I want her to be able to look at me and say, 'that's my sister'. I want her to be proud."

Beatrice was silent for a moment. This was what Maya wanted. This was the way she chose to cope with the knowledge that her sister was stuck in the future. This is what she chose to do with her life. While Beatrice would prefer that her sister was safe and sound, she had to accept the fact that that was never an actual possibility. No one is safe and sound. If Maya were to die, at the very least, Beatrice could hope that it was doing what she wanted, and being the person she always hoped to be. If this was what Maya wanted, who was she to intervene?

Maya was going to die tonight. The least Beatrice could do was make her happy. So Beatrice walked towards her sister, tears already threatening to fall down. She stared at her baby sister, knowing this was the right thing to do. Beatrice wrapped her arms around Maya and held her tightly, as tightly as her arms would allow. Maya hesitated at first, but soon she returned the hug.

"Beatrice _is_ be proud," Beatrice whispered, "She is be so, _so_ proud of you, Maya." That was the moment the tears began to fall. They streamed down her face, and she knew she had to go. "I have to go," Beatrice said quickly, breaking away from the hug. Her voice was shaky from her crying, and she really knew she had to go. She quickly spun around and made for the exit.

"Wait a second," Maya whispered after her, but Beatrice was already out of the tent. "Wait!" Maya called, running out after her. When she exited as well, Beatrice was nowhere to be seen. She didn't know what had just happened, but for a second there, she could have sworn that that woman was her sister.

* * *

Beatrice took her time in getting back to the Doctor. She had just said goodbye to her sister for the last time, and she needed sometime alone. She needed to let it all out before The Doctor got to her and started to yell about paradoxes and about how stupid she was. She just needed a moment to herself.

It didn't take too long before Beatrice found herself outside the familiar blue box. The Doctor wasn't outside, which Beatrice was thankful for. At least now she had a bit more time to compose herself. She waited outside for just a moment, before taking in a deep breath and pushing the doors open. Inside, the Doctor was standing in front of the console, staring with no emotion. Beatrice quietly closed the door behind her. They both stood in silence for a minute before Beatrice spoke up.

"I didn't tell her," she said. "I just said goodbye." The Doctor didn't say anything, he just stood there with the same look on his face. "So your time and space is perfectly safe. I just wanted to say goodbye." Beatrice's voice caught on the last word and she had to turn around to hide her tears.

She could hear the Doctor approach her, but she didn't turn. The Doctor turned Beatrice around and opened his arms for her. Beatrice leaned into the Doctor, hugging him tightly and crying on his shoulder. They stood like that for a good minute, where Beatrice just cried and cried, and the Doctor comforted her as well as he could.

"I'm sorry, Beatrice," The Doctor said softly. "I wish I could do something, but I can't."

"I know," Beatrice said, although she really didn't quite understand it. Beatrice pushed away to look the Doctor in the eye. "I want to be there. When she dies, I want to be there for her."

"I can do that," the Doctor said. He offered Beatrice a smile, and she did her best to return it. She let the Doctor guide her to one of the seats, and together they waited until it was time.


	5. Save Her

**Hello lovelys!**

**So after a lot of thought, I decided I will write the last fic of this series, more for myself than reviews or hits or anything. I've had this whole series planned out and in my head, I just want to write it all down. I'll wait until the next one is done and update it daily, so I guess keep an eye out for it. It'll be the first of the Ashburn Series that isn't a rewrite.**

**Thanks for the first reviews on the last chapter, and please leave a little comment on this too!**

* * *

The campsite that Maya was staying at was suddenly a mess. It couldn't have been earlier than two in the morning, and yet the whole place was going crazy. Men were grabbing their guns, armours, anything that could help. They were being attacked, and now they had to fight. One by one, each man on site lined up. As a group, they all marched to a clearing, preparing for battle. Maya followed the group of men. She had imagined her first day of battle a million times. She had practiced all her moves and she knew she was ready. Yet, now that she was walking off to battle she could help but feel the butterflies fly around in her stomach.

She took in a deep breath and kept moving.

The soldiers all lined up in their formations as soon as they entered the clearing. They knew it would be soon. Maya was in the front, and she couldn't help but notice where her nerves really stemmed from. Her sister. After that talk with the woman who saved her, she couldn't stop thinking about Beatrice. What if she died today? What if all her hard work was for nothing, and Beatrice never found out about her?

Maya looked around for John Smith. She needed to talk to him, to tell him about her sister. Instead, she found the very woman she was thinking about. The woman who had tried to talk to her for the past day, that woman who had helped her when she was a kid. She was just standing in the forest just next to the clearing. The woman waved at her, and Maya reluctantly waved back before turning her head back to the war ahead of her.

There was a moment's pause. Just one tiny moment that Maya found she wished would never end. Then, they charged at each other. Ten steps were taken before twenty people fell down shot. Maya included. She called out for help over and over until her throat was sore, but all the men just ran past her and fought over her dying body.

"Smith!" Maya cried out desperately. "Smith!"

"Michael!" Out of nowhere, Sergeant John Smith appeared. He finally found Maya and wasted no time in kneeling down next to her. "Michael, oh my God... okay, I'm going to take care of you, Michael – "

"It's Maya," the young woman managed to mutter. John Smith did a double take, before nodding. He already knew that she was a woman. He didn't care.

Ten months ago, the Doctor was finishing off a travel on his own. He was just about to leave, when someone tapped him on his shoulder. He turned around to see a young woman. She stared at him and immediately cried out, "I knew it was you!" When the Doctor explained he didn't know who she was, she decided to play along. It was clear to him that she had no idea _why_ he didn't recognise her, but she didn't care.

That was the first time the Doctor met Maya.

She didn't leave after he had brushed her off. She followed him around, got to know him and explained to him what happened to her family. The Doctor agreed to help her. A couple flashes of his psychic paper, and Maya was in the army. When she was happy, he left her to take care of herself. He came back every one or two weeks, just to make sure she was alright. He helped her in every way possible because he was so afraid, so guilty.

Maya had told him about her family, about how one second they were looking at a statue, and the next they were in a clearing. She told him that she wasn't from this time, and of course, the Doctor believed her. What scared him was that she had recognised him. That first time he met her, Maya recognised him. She knew who he was. That means, she met him before. He would meet her again. He was terrified that he had something to do with her family's fate.

"Maya," the Doctor said softly, still kneeling by her side, without any intention of leaving her. "You told me all those years ago that you weren't from this time. Well, I'm not either. I can help you. Please, let me help you."

"John Smith, you listen to me," Maya insisted strongly, despite the immense amount of pain she was in. "I'm going to die here, I've already accepted that. There's nothing you can do, no matter what time or planet you come from."

He stared at her shocked. "How did you…?"

Maya rolled her eyes, and explained quickly, "I met you for the first time when I was eleven. Fifteen years later, and you haven't aged a day. I don't know what you are, but you are not human." They stared at each other for a second longer, Maya doing her best to hide just how much pain she was in.

"I met you before?"

"Don't you remember?"

"I… I'm a time traveller. Things don't always happen to me in the right order."

"That means… it hasn't happened yet. Oh my God, you can save her!"

"What? Who?"

"My sister. Her name is Beatrice, Beatrice Ashburn. She was born in the year 1991, born and raised in Reading, near London. She – " Maya cut her self off with a painful cough. They both noticed it immediately. She coughed up blood. She wasn't going to last much longer. "Please, you have to save her," Maya said desperately.

"Save her from what?"

Maya's lip trembled, "I don't know. You just have to save her."

"Maya?"

"Save… her…" her eyes finally closed, and the pain stopped.

"Maya!" The Doctor quickly removed her top layers of clothes. He needed to do chest compressions, he needed to save her. "Don't you die on me, Ashburn! Don't you dare!" he knew his attempts would be in vain. He knew that Maya was dead. He knew he couldn't save her, but at the very least, he could try to save her sister. He had to save Beatrice.

* * *

Beatrice and the Doctor waited just out of sight of the clearing for the soldiers. Eventually they showed up. The Doctor protectively grabbed Beatrice's hand. He knew how terrible this would be to watch, he had to offer her some support.

It didn't take long for Beatrice to notice her sister among those men. She waved to her, trying to provide some sort of assurance or comfort. To her surprise, Maya waved back. For a perfect second, the situation was almost beautiful. It was calming and Beatrice felt so proud of her sister. And then the guns were fired. Beatrice watched in shock as one by one, men fell to the ground. And then her eyes went back to her sister. She waited in agony for the shot that would end her sister's life to come. She kept preparing herself for the final blow, but that did nothing to help her cope when it finally came. Maya fell to the ground, and Beatrice fell into the Doctor's arms. She cried and cried, and the Doctor held her as she did.

The Doctor remembered his conversation with Maya. He remembered how impossible he thought it was to be able to find her sister. But despite all the odds, The Doctor was still easily able to find Beatrice. He still wondered every single day what he had to save Beatrice from in the first place. He wondered why he went to Maya when she was eleven, and he wondered why Beatrice wasn't thee with him. Just the thought of it would sometimes send shivers down the Doctor's spine. What on Earth was he supposed to save her from?

Well, right now, he supposed he should save her from the grief that was eating her alive.

"Come on, Beatrice," the Doctor said softly. Beatrice had, for the most part, stopped crying. "Let's go do something fun now. Something to get our mind of this." Beatrice nodded

"Alright. What did you have in mind?" she asked, still not moving an inch from where she was. She preferred to stay with her face buried in the Doctor's chest, his arms wrapped around her.

"Well, while we're in America, why don't we head to Virginia?" the Doctor suggested.

At this, Beatrice had to lift her head and look at the Doctor, "Virginia?"

"Yeah. And meet a certain tribe's woman called Pocahontas?"

This perked Beatrice up and she was able to move away from the Doctor, just a bit. "Pocahontas? Really?"

"Yes, really! It'll be fun!" Together they walked back towards the TARDIS. The Doctor opened the door and started to walk in, expecting Beatrice to be right behind him. The young woman in question had stopped in her tracks as a new epiphany started to form in her head.

"Wait a minute," she said thoughtfully. The Doctor obliged, stopping in the doorway of his TARDIS. "We're going to go to Virginia... to meet Pocahontas?"

"Yes."

"Pocahontas... John Smith..."

"Yes."

"She's Pocahontas... you're John Smith..." The Doctor gave her _that_ look before walking inside. "It can't be true," she said following him inside the TARDIS. The Doctor was already punching in new coordinates. "Can it?" the Doctor just smiled and winked before pulling down the lever and sending the hurling about the TARDIS. "Doctor! You are impossible!"

And she would have it any other way

**The End**

* * *

Keep an eye out for the last sequel of the Ashburn series: _Flying to Falling_!


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